Method of securing designs on glass articles



UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

ALBERT A. GRAESER, OF rrr'rsnuno, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF SECURING DESIGNS ON GLASS ARTICLES.

SPEGIFI GATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 487,013, dated November 29, 1892.

Application filed March 21. 1892.

To ail wkom it may concern).-

Be it known that I, ALBERT A. GRAESER, a resident of Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Method of Securing Designson Glass Articles; .and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to a method of securing printed designs to the lower surfaces of glass articles, such as paper'weights, dishes,

plaques, or like articles, so that they may be burned in and retained permanently thereon. Taking 'a paper-weight as an illustratioh of what has been done in this art, several methods of securing the design to the lower face thereofhave been employed. One method has been to retain the design in place by pasting a.cloth or piece'of felt to the lower surface of the weight after the design has been placed thereon; but such a method would not insure the permanent retention of the design. Another method consistedin transferring the design to the opal-glass surfacein vitrifi'able colors, burning in the design, and

then covering this surface with molten glass to the depth desired to give body to the weight.

colors on the lower surface of the glass, ap-

plying an opaque enamel to the back of such design, print, or photograph, and then burning the glass article to produce a hard opaque surface on the back of said design, print, or photograph to furnish a background, against which the design, print, or photograph stands out in clear and distinct outlines.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and practice my invention,I will describe the same more fully in the accompanying speci- 5e fication.

I will describe my invention in connection with its application topapenweights,

Serial No. 425.834. (No specimens.)

such asare formed of glassorotherlike transparent substance. These paper-weights are made of different shapes and designs, and to been customary to secure to the lower face'a design, print, or photograph, so that when the weight is in use the design, print, or photoout the several stepsof myinvention I take I such a block of glass as may be suitable for the purpose and transfer to the lower surface thereof the design, print, or photograph to be employed. The design, print, or photograph istransferred with its face in contact with thelower face of the block. This transfer may be made from wood-cuts, stereotypeplates, type, or other like means by different processes; but to provid'efor-the burning in of the design, as will more fully appear, it is necessary to print the design originally with vitrifiable ink, or if ordinary ink has been used it' is necessary to dust or sprinkle the surface of the design with vitrifiable colors after the transfer, the ink taking up these colors and forming a vitrifiable print. The

transfer mayalso be made by photographic process.- One of the simplest-means of transferring the design to the glass surface is, by the use of a rubber stamp containing the design, which has'beeninked with a vitrifiable ink, or if ordinary ink is employed the design, after the transfer to the glass, is dusted or sprinkled with vitritiablc colors. When .the design, print, or photograph has' been transferred to the lower surface of the block in vitrifiable colors, the back of said design,

print, or photograph is coated with an opaque enamel or like substance, which when burned will form a hard impenetrable coating over the back .of said design, print, or photograph and protect the same, while at the sametime,

the opaque enamel provides a background against which the,design stands out in bold.

relief, each detail thereof being distinctly visible. This opaque background renders it practically impossible. to distinguish surrounding objects through the body of glass, and consequently there is nothing but the design visible, and there is no opportunity to confuse the design with surrounding objects. This enamel may be composed of zinc oxide .5511 add to the beauty of their appearance it has f melted with s vitreous flux, and is allowed to flow over the back face of the print, photograph, or design until the some is properly coated, or the enamel may he applied with e brush. After the enamel has dried properly the block is placed in a kiln and heated to a. degree sufficient to burn a glaze on the lower surface of the block. In this manner the print or photograph is preserved permanently on the block and there is no opportunity for it to be defaced. There are different enameling compositions which may he employed to produce the above result, and I do not confine myself to any one particular compound.

This method provides a very simple and inexpensive means of securing the designs in place, and at the same time affords such protection to the designs'as will prevent the defacement of the designs.

vllhatl claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- The herein-described method of securing designs to the surfaces of glass articles, consisting in transferring a. design, print, or photograph with vitrifieble colors to the lower surfaces otglass articles, applying e suitable opaque enamel to the heck of such design, print, or photograph, and then burning the glass article to produce a. herd. impenetrable costing-0n the lower face thereof to preserve the print, photograph, or design permanently thereon, and provide an opaque background against which the cold design, print, or photograph stands out clearly and distinctly, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I, the said ALBERT A. GRAESER, have hereunto set my hand.

ALBERT A. GRAESER.

Witnesses;

J. N. CooKE,

GEORGE J. PFEIL. 

